Extraordinarily Lost
by Rocjaw Cypher
Summary: Shortly after the events of Ocarina of Time, Link went searching for his lost fairy friend and was sent tumbling head over heels into another realm at the whims of a god. That still happened. This time, however, it was a different god that took an interest.
1. Chapter 1: Lost Woods

Chapter 1: Lost

He was Lost. Not surprising, really. When you venture into a place called the lost woods, you can't complain about not being warned. "Still," Link thought, stumbling over an upraised root in the twilight's growing gloom. "I never guessed that it was this bad." He'd been in here before, after all, though never this deep. Sure, the place was a maze, but if he wandered long enough, he'd always ended up back at the entrance.

He'd once spent days making a map of the way to the forest temple to see if he could stop himself from wasting hours wandering in circles. Following the sound of Saria's Song between the trees, the cheerful ocarina tune had led him deeper into the shadowed groves, the playful melody his constant companion as he sketched out his route in the cool of the forest. After almost a week of work, and more than 30 visits, he had finally completed his map of the twisting corridors- only to find that in the time it had taken him to show off his work to Saria, the endless forest had changed beyond any hope of recognition.

All the same, he had expected to be able to navigate his way through the forest. It had never seemed to change when he was in it, and if he paid attention he ought to have been able to find his way around those mischievous groves that landed him back in the Kokiri Village. After all, there was a distinctive feel to them, as if someone was watching with baited breath to see if you fell for a prank. So, feeling reasonably sure of himself, he had grabbed all the supplies he could carry and pushed deep, deep into the forest, weaving his way through the woods. His eyes roaming aimlessly, he listened for the babbling of one of the numerous fairy fountains he had seen in his adventures, in hopes that one of them might have seen his wayward friend. He'd stay out here for weeks if he needed too. Hunger could be ignored. Water was plentiful. Sleep? He could do without. Nothing mattered except finding her. Navi- his fairy.

Link's expression grew dark as he thought of his journey's begin. Oh, how he had regretted that decision. Over the past eight days, he had pushed his way through the woods, narrowly avoiding a return trip to Kokiri village so many times he had lost count. However, as the seventh day ended, something had changed. When he rose the next morning, the ever-present song had fallen silent. The woods, dark and still, had lost the playful mischievousness that had been there ever since his first journey. Now, the groves that had once seemed to watch with baited breath, seemed to stare coldly instead, a decided itch of unwelcomeness that grew stronger the closer he came. Suddenly, he began to remember stories he had heard so long ago.

"Adults lost among the trees turn into Stalfos, while children turn into Skull Kids; both are doomed to wander the woods," said one such rumor. "Anybody who comes into the forest will be lost. Everybody will become a Stalfos. Everybody, Stalfos," said another. Only the fact that he had a fairy to guide him had kept him safe before… and Navi was gone. Without her, he had no way of knowing where he was, or where to go, and it was quite possible that he would never leave.

His labored breaths sounded harshly in his ears and he paused for a moment, leaning against the rough brown bark of one of the great forest monarchs that blocked out the fading light. They had been together since the day his life began. Not the day he was born- he still didn't know when that was, as everyone who could tell him had long since passed away. No, the day his life truly began had been the day Navi came to him with a message from the Great Deku Tree. Since then, they had never been apart. She had guided him through the fiery caverns of Death Mountain, and across the open plains of Hyrule Field as they searched for a means to stop the evil that crept across the land. They had faced down dragons and serpents and undying horrors together, and yet… and yet she was gone. Vanished. Disappeared. Three days after he had returned to this time, the evil defeated, the monster vanquished, she had fled into the night as he slept, vanishing into the lost woods.

He looked down at his hands, the young pale skin marred by countless faint scars, stark against the dark forest soil that covered them. They had wielded sword and shield against countless foes, fighting off creatures a hundred times his size, and people had cheered for him as he fought. Words of encouragement, praise, and thanks flew thick as the crowds watched his battle. But that was just it… the speeches came from the sidelines, the cheers distant in his ears as he struggled to survive. There was no one who had the strength to stand beside him in battle, to face the end of the world with him- save for one. Navi. He did not distain the others for being unable to fight, did not take offence at their eager cheers. No, he was glad to help. But all the praise in the world paled in comparison with a smile from the one who had been beside him, darting in and out of the fray, guiding his shots and spotting the weakness of his foe.

"Why?" he gritted out, his hands clenching into white knuckled fists. "After all that! After all we went through! Nayru Faeroe and Din, Navi! Why!" The child spun suddenly, driving a fist into the thick rugged bark of the tree beside him. The young boy stared blankly at the blood spattered wood, uncaring of the torn skin and thick splinters embedded in his hand, as it throbbed in time with the red that suffused his vision. Fury took him suddenly, and with an anguished cry, he wrenched the Kokiri sword from the sheath on his back, swinging furiously, hacking at the tree with it. Chips of wood went flying as his voice cracked in frustration, unintelligible curses flying from his lips as he wreaked havoc upon the only target for his frustration.

Finally, his blows slowed and stopped. His arms leaden and burning, his breath ragged, he let the sword point drop, digging into the earth at his feet. His eyes unfocused as he lowered his them for a moment, before turning away from the scarred wood and stumbling further into the woods. With his blade carving a path through the earth behind him, silence filled the forest once more, save for the faint 'tik' sounds the metal made as it skipped across the loose soil. Within moments, he had pushed his way through the dense bushes and out of sight of the clearing. As his footsteps faded into the distance, the seeping scar on the bark began to ripple and fade, the earth seeming to shiver underfoot, as every trace that he had left behind melted away until the forest was once again pristine and silent as he found it.

* * *

><p>It had been 22 days since Link set out on the journey. He knew there was a chance he might not come back when he set out, but knowing and <em>knowing<em> are two entirely different things. Navi had last been seen heading into the forest though, and if that was what it took to find her he was willing to take the chance. Now, though, he had reached his end.

By the 6th day since food ran out, he had begun to see things. Fairy lights and Poes danced just at the edge of his vision, but when he turned to look they were gone. He hadn't worried much about that though, in a place like the lost woods that was standard fare.

By the 9th day without food, Link had started to make out faint whispers in the shadows. They had seemed loud in the silence of the forest, the stillness so quiet that even his footsteps seemed muted, but when he stopped to listen, the voices were gone. Bushes would rustle behind him, but he could never tell where the sound came from and was forced to press on. He had even once thought he'd heard... for a moment... that faint cry he knew so well: "Hey! Look out!" He began to suspect something was mocking him after that. Still though, he had ignored them and traveled deeper into the forest. With no idea of how to find his way out, the only thing he could do was keep looking.

On the 12th day, however, he began to lose faith in his own sanity. He was exhausted by then, the starvation setting in, and had more than once been so caught up in a daydream that he hadn't noticed he had stopped walking until his head hit the ground, the sharp pain in his skull and the feeling of the cool earthy loam against his cheek snapping him back to the present. He would lie there for a moment, taking in the scent of crushed leaves as he gathered his strength, until he could force himself to rise and move on.

The trees seemed to warp and twist at the corners of his eyes, rising up like great mushrooms, or twisting together into arching roots. First dark and lifeless, the air murky and hazed with the scent of decay, the ground would turn swampish, feeling as though his feet sank deep into the mush, each step a struggle. Then, golden and glowing, they would burst into light as the earth sprung to life with verdant greenery. He could almost taste the sweet pollen that filled the air, and golden motes floated across his vision, but it took nothing more than a blink, and it was gone.

On the 13th day, he gave up.

He had put up with the lights and whispers so long he no longer noticed them. He had been able to ignore the twisted trees as he knew that there were things far stranger in the land of Hyrule. But this? This was enough. He was not going to put up with Nayru damned _butterflies_.

"No." He ground out, sweat trickling down his brow as the swirling cloud of iridescent blue wings enveloped him. "No, I have had it up to here. I am not going to stand for this! Come out! Come out and face me whoever you are!" He snatched at his sword and shield with hands that trembled with frustration and exhaustion, leaping towards the whispering cloud that had encircled him. Link charged in as it spun faster and faster, swinging wildly at the fluttering insects. With a hoarse yell and hurled himself through the cloud and into… a room?

Link skidded to a halt on the smooth stone bricks, panting furiously, his eyes darting back and forth as he took in the intricately carved ivory chairs, the smooth marble desk, and the dark stone walls that surrounded him. Twisting to look behind him at the entrance that was no longer there, he shivered as a gust of cold air hit him, bringing with it the scent of caves and darkness. He staggered, spent, as the exertion of his mad flailing caught up with him and dropped to a knee before yanking the nearest seat towards him. Pulling himself into it, he slumped there until his breathing slowed enough that he could take in more of his surroundings.

At a glance, the only items he could see were within arm's reach. The single burning candle that stood atop a wrought iron holder. The embossed, leather bound book in red and gold that lay closed and silent upon the desk. And of course, the precise iron metronome beside it, delicately worked with the image of a horrified face caught in a silent scream, ticked patiently away, marking out the passage of time.

"So! What. Have. We. HERE?" boomed a voice, echoing through the room. With a startled shout, Link spun to see… still nothing. Blank stone walls, bricks and mortar, but certainly nothing that could be talking to him.

"Just a delicate little sprog AHREN'T CHA MEH BOY? Ohh hohohohh! you should see your face!" it cackled with an excited air, "Maybe I'll peel it off and show it to yeh? Not a bad idea, eh? Oh! Oh oh oh! Better Idea! use the eyes! Now THAT'S lateral thinken!"

His back against the cold stone wall, link began to gently reach for the hilt of his sword, his eyes darting back and forth. 'Invisible?' he thought to himself. 'I don't see- of course!' Snatching at his pack, he dug through it before triumphantly yanking out a violet and blood-red lens. 'The Eye of truth!'

His sword in one hand, the lens in the other, he turned back to face the room, casting a gaze about to see if he could spot the speaker through the all-seeing magical device. With a yelp, he jerked away at the sudden flash, the lens clattering to the floor as he ground at his eye, trying to blink away the shifting colorful blaze of light that had blinded it.

"NONE OF THAT my boy! Wear the accessories on your own time! But don't wait too long. Those things start to smell if you don't use them right away. No! Wait- thinking of cheese."

Blinking tears of pain away, link gazed around the room bewilderedly. Whoever this speaker was, he was pretty sure that this was not someone he wanted to be trapped in a room with. Still, he wasn't dead yet, so maybe he had just cracked for good this time? Perhaps he was unconscious and his body was wasting away in the forest.

"So where did you come from, Hmmmm? Ah! that little neck of the woods! The Lost ones! The lost woods, get it? Whelllll me boy, you are Well and TRUEly LOST!" breaking out terrifying laughter once again, the voice sputtered and continued "Now though, boyo, you've been found! By Who you ask? ME! I DID! or did I? Perhaps you knew where you were the whole time? Very well then, Close your eyes and I'll spin you about and twist you into macramé! Or until you're lost. Whichever works."

"Fayroe guide me out of here," Link muttered, "Din, light my path. Nayru, protec-"

"Ah ha ah! m'BOY! Can't be havin you prayin to those heeeeeathen goddeses of yours!" the voice boomed, "Besides! those ladies won't be hearing your prayers. I will though! If you're lucky I might even answer them!" It seemed to pause in thought for a moment, as Link shrunk back against the rough stone of the room's corner, shield and sword in hand. "Oh! I know! Ask for pie! Or brains. You could use those! I've GOT IT! BRAIN PIE! Thats the thing!"

"Anyway," it continued. "The deal is that your little forest falls under my jurisdiction! That means that when you go stumblin' through it, and just. wont. GIVE. UP… well. that means I'm going to have to do something about it. Couldn't have you crying wah wah my poor fairy and upsetting my skull kids! No! So I brought you here! Now you can do some good with yourself. AND ENTERTAIN ME!"

A sudden shout and a grunt of irritation echoed through the room as link, beginning to relax from his initial scare slumped to the floor. 'Whatever this is, they don't seem to want me dead,' he thought. 'And if they change their mind, I can't really do anything about it.'

"AHA! GOTCHA YOU LITTLE PEST! Silent now, grownups are talking. As I Was Saying Boyo! You're in my realm now. So! Welcome! Stay awhile, stay forever! Welcome to the Shivering Isles."

Link gazed nervously around the stone room he had found himself as the voice paused dramatically in its rambling speech. Slouched against the wall, he waited for the voice to get whatever it was planning over with so that he could move on with his life. Or death. Probably the second one now that he thought about it. After all, he could only live on willpower alone for so long, and he had reached the end of his strength, unable to even haul himself back into the chair that he had knocked over in fright.

"No? You don't recognize it? That's alright, I'm about to tell you! THE SHIVERING ISLES! Home of madness! Chaos! And ME! That's right Ladies and Gentlemen! It's SHEOGORATH! God of order! No- wait. That's Jyggalag. Ah! Still counts though! He's me and I'm Him! When I'm not me that is. Did I ever tell you about the time I decided to invade myself? I had to find a way to stop it, So I set out to find myself! I asked myself to go off and do these most peculiar quests, and then I got me to stop me from WRECKING MY ISLES! After all, nobody likes that... Where was I? Ah Yes! SHEOGORATH! GOD OF MADNESS! That's me!"

"..." The voice paused again. "Well? Say something boyo! I've not wasted all this time on a dramatic reveal just for you to ignore it! What do you think?" Link threw a wasted look of disgust at the empty air.

"There are only three goddesses. You're not one of them." Insulted beyond measure at this… thing's hearsay, he mustered up the strength to pull himself into a kneeling position.

"EEEEHHHHNNNNT! WRONG ANSWER! That may be true where you are from boy, but you'll find that we Daedra are very much real here M'lad. You are far far away from anyone who would agree with you!" Spitting in disgust, Link rose to his feet. Legs burning with exhaustion, knees trembling, and sword and shield clenched in tight fists, he gazed around the room.

"Why am I here." Link stated- it wasn't a question. It was a demand. He had had enough of the rambling and the hearsay and everything else that he had seen since Sheogorath had dragged him to this wretched place. "What. Do. You. WANT?" he shouted, the deep ache of starvation throbbing in his stomach, numerous cuts and bruises making themselves known. Helpless to find the target of his anger, his glare whipped around the chill stone room once more.

"What do I want? I already told you! To be ENTERTAINED! I am Booooooaaaarrrrddddd! And you? You're interesting. I could have let you waste into a SkullKid, but what a waste! Another hero! Goddess blessed and courageous and JUST the THING! I said to myself, 'Sheogorath me old pal, this is the chance of a lifetime! Take two heroes and throw them together and-' OY QUIT STRUGGLING You! Where was I? Ah yes. Two heroes! One quest! It'll be fun! But of course, we can't have you looking like that!"

Glancing down at himself, Link saw just how badly the forest had treated him. His green tunic and belt, ragged from the grasping branches, were stark in the flickering candlelight. His skin was filthy and bloody, and his arms frail from malnutrition, all in all he was the picture of a street urchin. If he'd been seen in Hyrule market, people would have either thrown him rupees or clutched their wallets to their chests to keep them safe.

"Not that you fool!" Sheogorath boomed, interrupting his thoughts. "Your AGE! You're not even old enough to drink mead! There's no way the Dragonborn will put up with that! No! You need to _Grow Up_!"

A glowing light began to surround Link, and as his skin began to prickle, he closed his eyes with a sigh. He already knew what was going to happen after all. It wasn't like he hadn't been here before- he was the hero of time after all. He had spent months in that desolate future, fully grown and facing horrors unimaginable to a simple boy from the forest. 'Still,' He thought sourly. "I'd thought I was finally done with this."

With a flash, he dropped to the floor, once more an adult, and once more at his full strength. This time though… he was dressed a little different. A tunic of green and leggings of brown, yes, but under the tunic clinked a layer of chain mail, shifting as he moved. His golden gauntlets were longer, reaching up to protect his forearms from wayward blows and his chest was covered in an elegant golden breastplate that was worked with Hylian designs. His shoulders were covered with thick pauldrons, and metal plates led into steel toed boots that stood firm on the rugged stone floor. Not full armor, but strategically placed patches of it, designed to protect the vital areas while preserving dexterity.

"Wha-" he mumbled, confused, before the voice continued. "You'll need it boy! That icy land is far more dangerous than your little hamlet you call a nation! And you'll need this to!" A familiar weight settled upon his shoulders, and he twisted to look behind him at his blade, the Master Sword.

"I snuck in while those pesky divas weren't looking, and swapped this out for a pile of cheese! Nobody will be able to tell the difference unless they try to draw it! Or eat it! Or until it starts to smell!" Now used to the madgod's rambling, Link ignored him, checking himself over and finding all the items he had carried in that aborted timeline had been returned to him.

"Oh! and don't think I've forgotten about you, little one! You'll need one last thing if you are to survive this realm m'Boy! A _guide_." Link's head snapped up at his final word. Heart in his throat, he tried to stifle the sudden surge of hope that burst through him. He had given up on finding her. He had given up on surviving. Could... could he really have her? Could it be?

A sudden crackle of energy appeared above the desk, pale blue lightning arcing into the iron candle holder and metronome. A shape started to form in the center of it, just a touch darker than the brilliant blue around it, before finally, the sphere of light burst, throwing book, candle, and time keeper skittering across the stone floor. Link dashed forward as the tiny form slumped to the desk, sweeping her into his arms and cradling the fairy as he gazed in awe of the miracle in front of him. A slender girl, no longer than a finger lay glowing in his arms. Garbed in a gauzy blue dress, with wings protruding from its back, Navi looked up at him. "L-Link?" she asked tremulously, a delicate hand reaching for his face, before collapsing again, exhausted by whatever had happened.

"So boyo! You're allllll set!" Sheogorath boomed, interrupting their heartwarming moment, "I've given you your things, your fairy, and your years, so now it's time you do something for me! ENTERTAIN ME!" the crazed god roared once more. "So. Be off with yeh! I've got things to do, people to disembowel, mountains to move and movements to mount! So you be good! You have fun now! And if you see her, tell Nocturnal I said hi!"

For the final time, the energy gathered around link, and as the room dissolved in a flurry of brilliant blue butterflies, Link found himself smiling. Whatever this madman had planned, it did not matter. He had had his childhood friend returned to him once more. He was ready.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note!<strong>

Not bad for a first try, eh? Just a plot bunny I had that wouldn't go away, so I sat down and hammered it out. Blame LethalityRush's Goodbye Navi work on deviant art, and the comparison of Skyrim and Windwaker by Slpngfx. Figure I'll keep adding as the mood strikes me, and see where the story takes us. No, Link won't be dragonborn in case you missed that. He will be there for the start of the story, however. Hope y'all enjoy! Either way, leave a review with anything you'd like me to work on, or directions you'd like to see the plot go.

See you around!

Edit: As this is my first chapter of my first story, I will be updating it with more legible versions as I find mistakes or areas that need work. No idea if that'll trigger an alert, but if so feel free to ignore it.


	2. Chapter 2: Dinner and a Show

**Chapter 2:**

With a sudden flash, Link arrived in the new world. Ten feet off the ground. With a yelp of surprise he dropped those last few feet, tucking into a roll to absorb the impact. Cradling Navi, however, threw him off enough that his practiced roll turned into a sort of half controlled tumble through the dirt, kicking up a spray of loose soil and snow as he skidded to a stop. Groaning quietly, the Hylian stared up at the pale grey sky overhead, the sea of clouds drifting aimlessly as he tried to collect his thoughts. 'Anything broken? No… Anything bleeding? No… Let's move on then.' With a huff, Link hauled himself to his feet, shaking snow off his tunic and glancing down at the still slumbering fairy in his arms to reassure himself that she was safe, before taking in his surroundings.

His first impression was shock. 'I've never seen this much snow outside of when Zora's Domain froze over!' Link thought to himself as he gaped at the snow covered clearing. Tall, spindly trees were densely scattered about it's edge, their branches laden with clumps of thick, wet snow. Scattered flakes drifted down into the sparse, grassy field, adding another layer to the rolling, knee height drifts. Unlike the domain, traversing this frozen forest would be grueling, with the clinging snow hindering his every step. The real surprise, however, came when he looked up.

'Oh that's just not right,' the Hylian thought. 'I know snow peak lies somewhere to the north, but that's just a small hill compared to this! Even Death Mountain doesn't come close!' As Link's gaze traveled up… and up… and up… it finally stopped as the _massive_ mountain before him vanished into the clouds with no sign of slowing down. 'I'm definitely not in Hyrule any more, that's for sure.' Grumbling quietly to himself, Link carefully slid Navi underneath his cap where she liked to sleep now and again. He hiked up his pack, settling it comfortably onto his shoulders and made his way through the snow covered branches of the bright red berry bushes around him, trudging towards the nearest of the pine trees at the clearing's edge.

Once there, Link paused for a moment, crouching down to ready himself before leaping at the lowest of the branches to hang there. Testing his weight on it with a few sharp jounces, he slowly levered himself up onto the limb, steadying himself with one hand against its sticky sap covered bark. From there, the branches were mostly close enough to climb hand over hand, making his way through the prickly foliage until he was high enough to peer out over the treetops and get a better glimpse of his surroundings. To the north, the mountain blocked out the sky, while to the east a narrow windswept pass slid through its shadow. To the south was more mountains and forest, but to the west...There! A small cobblestone path wound its way through the woods, and if he read it right, that was the wood smoke of a small village rising up at the end of that path. It looked to be at least a day's journey, however, so he'd have to spend the night at some point. The sky was already growing dark, as the sun began to sink behind another far off range, and he had no interest in trying to navigate this snow swept wilderness in the growing gloom.

Link began working his way back down, testing each branch as he went. The bitter wind that had started to blow made it all the more perilous, as the tree gently swayed in the sharp gusts, and the cold numbed his fingers. He was about 7 feet off the ground when he heard the growls. Circling the base of the tree were three mangy black wolves, each of them snarling up at him, apparently quite intent on getting a meal. Link, however, was not impressed. Bracing himself against the tree and a pair of branches, he pulled out his bow and notched an arrow to the string, taking careful aim at the first wolf, faint as it was in the dim twilight. Waiting until the wind calmed, he stretched the bowstring back and let the arrow fly.

Warned a moment before by the snap of the bowstring, the wolves split apart, darting away to the left and right to circle back around for a better angle. The center wolf, on the other hand, zigzagged a path towards him through the fading light, bounding his way closer. With a leap, it sprung upwards towards the hero's legs, paws scrabbling against the bark for a few more inches of lift. Link dropped the bow with a yelp, diving away from the branch he stood on to escape the hound's yellowed fangs. A flailing hand caught another limb, bringing him to a precarious halt just a few feet off the forest floor.

With a jolt, the Hylian saw the other wolves racing back towards him once more, as the third stumbled back to its feet, readying itself for another leap. With seconds to spare before the beasts fastened their teeth in his legs, he acted. Dropping to the icy drift below, one hand went for a pouch at his waist, the other sinking to the elbow in the frigid snow. Palming something as he stood, he faced the wolves head on as they leapt for his throat.

A thunderous crack roared through the clearing, a sudden flash of light throwing the lengthening shadows into stark relief as the Deku Nut Link had thrown shattered on the ground, releasing its magical energy in a blinding burst. The wolves, unprepared for this barrage on their senses, flinched at exactly the wrong moment, hurling themselves into the ground rather than onto their former prey.

Staggering to their feet, the wolves snarled and shook themselves, blinking away the spots that danced in their vision just in time to see the glint of silver steel flash high overhead, Link's blade singing as he roared a guttural cry, his voice muffled by the ringing that lingered in their sensitive ears.

The first, quicker to react than the others, scrambled away as Link's sword bit into the frozen earth, a hair to slow to take the head of his foe. The second, bigger, tougher, but above all _slower…_ was less lucky. It was still turning to face him as steel took it through the heart, the scarred wolf snarling weakly as blood stained its matted fur. The third, warned by the scent of its Alpha's blood, bolted as the Hylian turned to face it. A glance behind only confirmed its fear, and it rapidly vanished into the shadowy underbrush, the last of the pack close behind.

Link watched the beasts depart, before shaking his head and turning to the tree in which he had made his stand. Kneeling to retrieve his bow, Link brushed away the wet drift it had landed in and shook the weapon free of clinging flakes before tucking it away in his pack. With a grunt, Link rose to his feet, peering about in the dim light and approached the carcass. Fastening his hands in the lank, greasy fur, he wrenched the corpse upright, examining it with a careful gaze

'Hmmm…' Link thought, lifting an oddly shaped paw. 'This is no Wolfos.' He had seen something similar in the forest temple, but that beast liked to rear up and strike with its forepaws as much as it's fangs, and was far more bulky. This thing, on the other hand, was frail and wasted. Any attempt to stand on its back legs would probably result in it collapsing, and its claws were nowhere near the dagger-like sharpness or length of the Wolfos' claws.

Still, though… He doubted that this thing was harmless. It had a certain sleekness about it, and seemed far better adapted for speed than the creature from Hyrule. And if they worked in groups, the way this one had? They might be a bit of a problem… Still, nothing he could do about it now. The others were long gone, and the death of their Alpha would likely set him in their mind as the dominant predator, if the similarities to the Wolfos of his homeland were more than skin deep.

Straightening, he dusted the melting snow from his knees as it seeped through the fabric, cold against the skin underneath. With a glance at the golden light of the fading twilight sky, he decided against trying to make any progress tonight. There was no use in pushing towards the village if he was going to have to sleep in the snow anyway. 'For now,' the Hylian thought as he turned towards the center of the clearing, 'the best thing to do would be to make camp.'

With an ominous rumble and a sharp pang, his stomach informed him that while he might have his strength back, he had _still _not eaten anything for almost two weeks. Link turned back towards the mangy beast before him. 'Well…' he mused with a grimace. 'Maybe food first, then camp.'

After gathering some fallen branches preserved under a nearby snowdrift, Link cleared a circle of snow, trusting the winter weather to keep the fire from spreading. With a few moments work, the branches were arranged in the center, leaned against each other to form a small chimney to block the wind. In most cases, Link would have taken the time to search for tinder and kindling as well, but with the bitter wind howling mournfully through the trees around him and a ravening hunger tearing at his stomach, he decided not to waste the time searching through the pillowy snow for tiny twigs and leaves to light the fire with. Instead, he pulled out an old trick of his. Normally he'd use this to light torches in a dungeon or defrost at tricky bit of frozen machinery, saving his magic power for when he needed it most. "Still," he grumbled quietly to himself. "If this doesn't qualify as need, I don't know what does."

Retrieving the elegant golden shortbow once more, Link notched an arrow, aiming towards the fire pit as he drew back the string once more. This time, however, he paused. Moving his thumb upward slightly, he held it against a ruby set into the handhold until it began to glow faintly in the growing dimness. The light traveled down the shaft of the arrow until it reached the head, which burst into a brilliant red and gold blaze.

Link let the arrow fly; a streak of color piercing through the oncoming night and slamming into the center of his cone shaped construction of sticks. The fire came roaring to life in a flash, throwing the shadows of the trees into stark relief before settling down to a much more manageable height. Flickering gently before him, the flames danced merrily, waves of heat rolling off of them and soaking into the Hylian's numbed skin as prickles of feeling ran through his limbs once more. Link knelt with a groan, muscles pulled tight by the bitter cold finally relaxing as he basked in the warmth.

"Shame I can't do that more often," he thought lazily. "But I have no idea when I'll next run into a green chuchu, or where to find a potion shop here. I only have so much magic pow…" With a jolt of surprise, Link trailed off as an odd sensation washed over him. The empty feeling he had always associated with a lack of magical power was slowly fading away as gentle trickles of energy flowed into him, sinking into his skin like the warmth of the fire.

"What in Hyrule?" he muttered with a bewildered expression. Magic power could regenerate with a good night's sleep, or a green potion could top him off in the heat of the moment. This, though… this was something else. The flow was faster, stronger, as if he were drinking from a stream, rather than raising water from a well. This… this could be useful. Many of his spells and devices ran off of his limited supply of magic power, and in the heat of battle, any one of them could turn the tide.

Light Arrows, Din's Fire, the Lense of Truth- any or all of them could give him just the edge he needed to survive. Caught up in his thoughts, Link rose and began to pace, snow crunching under his boots. What could have caused it? Where was he, that the flow of magic was so much stronger? Why, he wondered as his stomach roared at him once more, was he thinking about this rather than eating?

Much as this new development disturbed him, such thoughts could wait. Right now it was time for food.

* * *

><p>Juices sizzled and splashed into the golden flames as he slid the shank off the spit, the smell of roasted meat sending a fresh wave of hunger pangs gnawing into his stomach. Waiting for this to be ready had been torture, but hungry as he was, he still didn't feel up to eating raw wolf just yet. Sinking his teeth into the chunk of flesh, he growled as he tore at it, the animal proving as stubborn in death as it was in life. Still, he contemplated as he chewed, hunger had proved once more to be the finest spice. The flavor of the meal was divine, even if the texture had something to be desired. Until he found a more palatable source of food, roast beast would do.<p>

Skinning and preparing the wolf had been a tricky proposition. Link had puzzled over the best way to free the edible morsels from the ragged lump of fur long enough that he had strongly considered taking his master sword and just hacking it loose. Nasty as the smell of burnt hair was, he had been about ready to unsheathe his blade when he remembered the child's weapon he had borne until just recently. The Kokori sword, while vastly undersized to his grown adult form, had proved just right as dagger for skinning the animal. He was no expert, but the weapon was razor sharp, and it didn't take long before he had several large pieces of flesh hewn from the body and one ragged piece of pelt. The pelt was of no use to him in the current state, but he might be able to get a bit of rupees out of it at the market when he reached it the next day.

"For now," he thought as he lay back against the straw stuffed bedroll, "Warm bed and hot food will have to hold me." When dawn came, he would worry about where he was, why he'd been brought here, and the safety of his fairy friend, but until then, he would simply satisfy himself with the spoils of his battle, and rest until the sun's first light.

* * *

><p>Dawn broke cold but clear over the remains of the fire as Link stirred gently where he lay. Groaning, he levered himself off the chill ground, wincing as the aches caught up to him. Sleeping on the ground was never fun, and doing so in the winter was even less. The fire was enough to keep him from freezing, but it did nothing for the way the icy ground sapped his body heat away. Link stretched, rising to a knee as he did so, and felt the knotted tenseness in his muscles burning as the blood began to flow through his limbs once more. Rubbing blearily at his eyes, he stared uncomprehendingly into the distance for a moment, before hauling his protesting body to its feet. He trudged across the light dusting of snow that had fallen in the night, stumbling his way towards the remains of the wood pile he had assembled.<p>

Before long, he had coaxed a small fire from the remains of the embers, flames slowly flickering up and over the broken branches as he stared dully into it. His mind, slow to catch up with the rest of his body, began to grind into gear. After all, though he may have been upright and moving he was by no means awake, and wouldn't be until the warmth of the fire had worked its magic. That, or the rush of shock that surged through him at the feel of a familiar shape stirring in his hair once more.

"Navi!" He yelped, whipping the hat from his head and scooping the tiny fairy into his palm. "You're here!"

"Link?" she mumbled, her sweet and melodic voice sounding rather sour and grumpy. "It's too early… Go back to bed." She turned, snuggling back into the crook of his hand.

Link, on the other hand, was having none of this. Tilting his hand forward, he dumped her into the small snowdrift before them. As she tumbled downward, she let out a yelp of surprise that was cut off as she disappeared into the sparkling drift.

A shriek echoed across the clearing, and Navi zipped into the air shaking her limbs to rid herself of the freezing clumps that clung to her bare skin. As the last flakes fell free, a faint sound began to issue from her tiny form. Link paused for a second, trying to make out what the noise was, before the rapidly rising volume of her growl of rage quickly made that unnecessary. Link had just enough time to remember how much of frozen Zora's Domain she had spent huddled under his hat, and how… _little…_ she had appreciated his attempts at humor involving snow, before the diminutive pixie hurled herself at him fists first

Once more, shrieks echoed across the clearing, as Link sprinted away from the glowing ball of rage, each as high pitched as the first. Navi zipped through the chilly air after the wailing Hylian, roaring threats and promises at his retreating form as he desperately tried to deflect her anger.

"LINK! You're gonna pay for that!" the apoplectic fairy howled, her hair streaming in the wind as she darted after him.

"Wait! Navi! This is all just a misunderstand- Yeouch!" He yelped, as tiny turquoise bolts of lightning connected with his backside. "No! Really, I can expla- YEARGH!" Another one singed the tip of his sensitive ear.

Twisting to look behind him, eyes focused on Navi as she closed the gap, Link had exactly zero seconds of warning as he plowed head first into one of the _very_ solid pines sprinkled around the clearing. Slamming into the rough brown bark with an audible thud and a delightfully piney fresh scent, the Hylian stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the cold, snowy ground as he clutched his aching head. Navi alighted on the bridge of his nose, peering down at him with a worried expression.

"Oh, Deku sticks- Link, are you alright?" she asked, concern clear on her face. "What were you thinking! Don't you watch where you're going? Be more careful you dolt," she scolded, "you could have been… you could… Link?" The events of the previous night hit the young fairy in a rush. All thoughts of sweet revenge, or worry over Link's clumsiness scattered as she laid a trembling hand on the young Hylian's cheek.

"Hey Navi, long time no see, "Link said with a grin. Smiling up at her from where he lay, his armor clinked as he shifted on the layer of pine needles beneath him. Sitting up slowly, he watched as the pixie's wings fluttered, sending her drifting back into the air to take him in. He brought up a hand for her to alight on, and raised an eyebrow at the young girl's shell shocked expression. "What? do I have something on my face?"

The silence stretched on, and just as Link began to wonder if she would flee, she spoke.

"I thought I'd killed you."


End file.
